Continuous-feed cinematograph apparatus



Feb. 15,1927. v ,cONTlNSOUZA ETAL 3 CONTINUOUS FEED CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS I Patented Feb. 15., 1927.

costly.

VICTOR CONTINSOUZA AND MAURICE COMBES, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

coN'rrNUoUs-rnnn cmnna'roensrn APPARATUS.

i imputation nica July 27, 1925, serial No.

Cinematograph apparatus with continuous feed of the lfilm are already known in which the linkingu or succession of the pictures is obtained 'y utilizing a series of lenses carried by a rotary disc arranged in such a way that one ofthese lenses accompanics each of the film pictures during the passage through the -beam of light.

Since in these conditions the lenses describe circular arcs while `the film moves in a straight line, the axis of projection tends constantly to be deviated, this resulting inpa falling off in the fixity of the pro# jected image. i

In order to reduce the curvature of the path ofthe lenses with a view to diminishing this defect as far as possible, it has been sought to employ a disc. of comparatively large radius which has to be provided with a relatively large number of lenses, in such a way that the apparatus must necessarily be If instead of mounting the lenses at fixed points on their supporting disc, they are fitted to members movable in relation to this disc and controlled during the passage through the beam of lightin such a way that the lenses ythen follow at uniform speed la straight-line path parallel to the film, it

becomes possibleto construct an apparatus which comprises, like that which formsvthe subject of the present invention, a smaller numberof lenses and is therefore lower in cost.

Inthislapparatus the lenses are spaced around and at a small distance from the axis of rotation of their supporting disc.

The necessary corrective movements can be communicated to them, duringl the passage through tlie beam of light, Aby means of mechanisms occupying the eriphery of the disc,`where the space availa le allows of making them very strong and smooth in of the mechaworking; the accessibilit upkeep 1s morenisms for adjustment an over increased. Their parts also can bel enclosed in a casing forming an oil bath, without the lenses being exposed to fouling by projections of lubricant. Moreover the ens-carrying plate forms a screen and prevents a portion of the light from the projector lamp from travelling directly into the j room or on tothe projection screen.

The annexed drawin represents by way of example one of the orms of construction which are pivoted bell 46,460, and in France November 17, 1924.

of the lenscarrying discv of a cinematograph apparatus according to the invention. igurel is a view in front elevation. Figure 2 comprises on its left half a plan view, the casing of the device being cut `through upon the horizontal plane 2-2 of Figure 1, and on its right-half a double section along the broken line 2-2-2-2 j of the same figure.

The frame 1 comprises a straight guide or channel 2 for the passage of the film, the projection aperture being at-3. A shaft 4 is fixed tothe frame 1 by means of screws 5 or the like; it is ierced longitudinally `with an eccentric ho e .6 (through which the beam of light passes) and receives a socket 7a integral with' a plate 7.

One of the faces of this plate is slotted at 8 (to the number of eight slots in the example shown) and in these slots there are guided sliders 9; upon the latter there are fixed, by means of nuts 10, pins 10 upon crank levers 11.

These levers carry the lenses 12 at their ends which are directed towards the axis of rotation of the plate 7. The other ends of the levers 11 are litted with eccentric circular shoes 13, secured by screws 14; the corresponding ends ofthe sliders carry shoes 15 similar to 13 and fixed by screws 16.

The plate- 7 carries projecting lugs 17 which receive the second plate 18, the lugs 17 mantaining the latter at a suitable distance 4to allow free movement of'tlie levers 11 and the sliders 9, while preventing the former from leaving their pivots and the second from leaving their s otsi Springs, such as A19, attached at one end to the screws 14 and at their other end to the studs 20 on the second late 18,'exert upon the levers 11 a" pull ten ing constantly to press the shoes 13 against a peripheral clamping screws 18u of a' cam 21. Other springs 22, bearing at one therein.

opening 26 corresponding to the perforation in the said shaft.

The cams 21 and 23' are of such shape as to impart to the sliders and to the lens-carrying levers, during the time in which the lenses pass through the beam of light, the corrective movements which combine with the rotary motion of the disc 7 in such a way that the optical centres of the lenses `travel at a uniform speed parallel to the axis ofthe film. 4

By turning the `shoes 1.3, 15 upon their axes it is possible to adjust the position and the stroke of the parts which carry them,

and whenso desired to take up any slack Since a large s modating the sli ers and the levers, it is possible to give these members as great strength as is desirable; moreover the levers can be designed of sufficient length to reduce the magnitude of the forces displacing the lenses. The cams 21 and 23, having extensive circumference, can be constructed without diliculty, and they can be given profiles with very gradual variations, sc as to avoid sudden abrupt movements of the various parts of the mechanism.

The frame 1A comprises a transverse annular diaphragm 27 with a circular groove receiving a jointing washer 27, made of felt, libre, copper ,or theI like, against which the' disc 7 presses. The s ace, comprised betweenl this diaphra `an the cheek-plate 24, for containin t e mechanism, is thus made suiciently liquid-tight toreceive oil up to acertain level, with a view to ensuring the lubrication ofthe said mechanism, without an risk of the lenscsbeing fouled by the 'sp ashing of lubricant. v

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited either tc the forms or to the details of construction described above, and in particular that the number of lenses. may be greater or less than eight, these lenses being capable of receiving their corrective movements by means ofany suitable mechanism. v 4

What we claim is: g

1. Incinematograph apparatus with continuously moving film, a rotary lens-carrying .member adapted to rotate at uniform speed on an axis parallel to the optical axis of the machine, a plurality of lenses mounted for movement toward and away from rthe ace is available for accorn` ment of said lenses.

2. In cinematograph" apparatus with continuously moving film, a rotaryv lens-carrying member adapted to rotate at uniform speed on an axis parallel to the optical axis of the machine, a plurality of lenses mounted for movement toward and away from said axis of rotation on said member, and

normally lcircula'rly arranged thereupon,

and` means -positioned a greater radial dis-v tance from said axis of rotation than said series of lenses for moving the lenses successively toward or away from said axis of rotation and at a rate of speed for rectifying thevmovement thereof and compensating for the variation in theV uniform speed of said rotary member incidental tosaid rectifying movement.

3. In cinematograph apparatus with continuously movin film, a rotary lens-carryin member? adapte to rotate at uniform s eeil on an axis parallel to the optical axis o the machine, a plurality of lenses mounted for .movement toward and away from said axis of rotation on said member and normally circularly arrangedythereu n, and means positioned a greater radia :distance from said axis of rotation' than said series of lenses for operating the same, including a slider for each lens, guided in a slot with which said rotaryrmember is provided, a

-lever pivotally mounted upon each slider, a

lens carried by Aeach lever, a-stationary cam adapted to act upon said sliders andto impart to the same` a displacement adapted to give to the center of the corresponding lens a rectilinear path arallel to the axis of the film, and a second) stationary cam adapted to act upon the pivoted levers and to/dis# place the same so as to maintain a uniform linear speed for the center of the lens, during the passage thereof through the lumi- -nous beam, both cams being arranged externally to the levers and sliders, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

VICTOR CONTINSOUZA. MAURICE COMBES. 

